Further Reading

Senator: "You really don't need to look at a little computer while driving."

Currently, eight states are in the process of advancing such legislation. Last month, Wyoming introduced a bill that would stop a driver from sporting Glass. Citing lobbyist disclosure records and interviews, Reuters reported that Google’s proxies have met with lawmakers in Missouri, Delaware, and Illinois.

State Senator Ira Silverstein, a Chicago Democrat, told Ars that while he hadn’t ever tried Glass himself, it seemed obvious as to why a behind-the-wheel ban was needed. “I don’t want to hurt their business, but we can’t talk on the phone, we can’t text, and this is another way to distract drivers,” the author of Senate Bill 2632 said.

Silverstein recently met with John Borovicka, a Google lobbyist. Silverstein described the meeting as a “factfinding mission,” saying that Borovicka did not try to convince him. Borovicka’s disclosure documents filed with the state of Illinois do show that he retains Google as a client.

Borovicka did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment. Similarly, Google did not respond to Ars’ questions about who has lobbied on the company’s behalf, but it did provide a prepared statement sent by e-mail.

"Technology issues are a big part of the current policy discussion in individual states, and we think it is important to be part of those discussions,” Anna Richardson White, a Google spokesperson, wrote to Ars in that statement. “While Glass is currently in the hands of a small group of Explorers, we find that when people try it for themselves they better understand the underlying principle that it's not meant to distract but rather connect people more with the world around them."

Silverstein added that Google is going to be returning to Springfield to meet with him and other members on the transportation committee as early as next week to show them what Glass can do.

“I hope it convinces the committee members that it’s a dangerous thing so that they’ll see it firsthand,” Silverstein added.